Nikolai Monson plays for passers-by at Mitchell International Airport on Sunday. The airport offers live piano music during peak hours through April.

It's the Sunday after Thanksgiving — the busiest travel day of the holiday — and more than 17,000 passengers will traipse through Mitchell International Airport clutching boarding passes, pulling luggage and pushing kids in strollers.

Among the din of announcements, farewells and hellos, music wafts over the crowd. Not piped-in elevator music. Actual live pianists entertaining harried and bored passengers as they pass through Milwaukee's airport.

Sitting at a Baldwin piano on top of a small stage, like a musical island oasis, Nikolai Monson plays "Everlong" by the rock band Foo Fighters.

"The airport is the best place to people-watch. You see people running and hugging. I saw a fight once. You see tearful goodbyes," said Monson, who plays Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Anyone passing through Mitchell knows it's quirky and unlike other airports, offering a stellar used book shop, pingpong table and great frozen custard. It's also one of the few airports providing free live music in its main concourse from the Thanksgiving holidays through spring break in April.

Since 2007, the airport has hired 10 piano players each season who play three- or four-hour shifts a few times a week. Music selections are up to each player. Some favor classical or pop; others enjoy playing jazz or rock. There's also a duo who play together.

"It's something that makes us different," airport public relations manager Harold Mester said. "It creates a nice atmosphere as people are arriving in Milwaukee for the first time, or if they're setting off on a trip."

Most of the airport pianists return year after year, earning $10 an hour plus tips. With a strong core group of players, the airport is not currently hiring musicians.

Several years ago, Daniel Petry and his friend Patricia Monroe were taking a course at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music for two players on one piano when Petry heard the airport was seeking pianists. They auditioned, were hired and now are in their fourth year at Mitchell. Their repertoire includes 150 selections ranging from Bach to Burt Bacharach.

Many are fascinated to see two people playing piano together.

"It's almost like choreography," Petry said. "Patricia always makes me get my pinkie fingernails cut, because a lot of times we're playing notes right next to each other."

They often get requests, and if they don't know a song, they'll offer their repertoire list and suggest something similar. One time a man holding a bouquet of flowers and waiting for his girlfriend to arrive asked them to play a romantic song when the girlfriend walked by the piano.

"It's so rewarding. Kids love to dance. When we play 'Nutcracker' we almost always have a couple of kids waltzing around and jumping and kicking," Monroe said.

Monroe and Petry play at the airport Tuesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. and Friday mornings from 7 to 11. Petry plays solo on Saturdays.

"I'm surprised how many people sit there and just listen," Petry said. "Sometimes we'll see people out there for two to three hours. We've also gotten to know people who work there who come by on their break."

One time a worker at North Point Custard asked Monson if he knew "All the Small Things" by Blink-182. Monson didn't, but he looked up an arrangement, taught himself to play it, and the following week performed the song for the surprised custard stand employee.

On Sunday, Austin Stevens, 16, requested "Applause" by Lady Gaga, but Monson explained he couldn't play it because the intro is difficult to perform on a piano. Stevens had just flown in from Kentucky and was waiting for a ride to his boarding school in Fond du Lac.

"I've never seen a piano player in an airport before. I like it," Stevens said.

Monson rolled through 25 songs Sunday afternoon during his shift at the piano — it was purchased by airport retailers — stationed outside Renaissance Books and North Point Custard, next to a large Christmas tree adorned with red and gold ornaments.

As Monson played, people hugged, read, texted, ate onion rings, sipped chocolate shakes, snoozed, listened to iPods, tapped on laptops, talked on cellphones, checked the arrivals/departures boards or sat staring off into space. Some clapped when he finished a song.

At 3 p.m. Monson emptied his tip jars, and Evan Guirsch hopped up onto the platform. He began with "All of Me" by Jon Schmidt, followed by "Winter Games" by David Foster and then the popular Peanuts theme music.

Guirsch, who works for United Airlines at Mitchell Airport, noticed the piano players several years ago, asked about it, auditioned and began playing in his free time — Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons. He likes to play pop, jazz, gospel, contemporary and holiday songs.

"I think it's a great addition to the airport," said Guirsch, who has played piano for 15 years. "It's very relaxing, Traveling is a stressful situation, and to be able to provide something soothing is great."

About Meg Jones

Meg Jones is a general assignment reporter who specializes in military and veterans issues. Meg was part of a team that was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2003, and has been honored by the Milwaukee Armed Forces Committee for her coverage.